Opportunity
With an ageing population, North Tyneside Council needed to create new accommodation. It wasn’t just about building volume. The council wanted to create sustainable benefits for the community, with happier tenants in more desirable accommodation designed to promote independence and health for the able-bodied and meet modern standards of care for the more impaired.
The council wanted to use a public private partnership model to deliver the improvement programme. But it needed help to define its vision and then translate that into a proposal that would be affordable and attractive to the private sector.
Solution
With the council, we consulted residents to understand their needs and preferences, giving us a clear idea of how the new housing should look, feel and function.
Working in the council’s offices, we collaborated with other project team members while drawing on our own in-house expertise. We worked with the council and Northumbria University to develop a system for judging the quality of tenders, using criteria such as internal and external spaces, health and well-being, water-use and energy consumption.
Outcome
Independence and freedom while they want it, and care when they need it… The new housing is inclusive and equipped for people of all abilities. Individual buildings are arranged to promote a sense of community. Thanks to energy-efficient design, fuel bills will be low. Hopes are that, by creating comfier, safer and healthier home environments, the development could ease pressure on healthcare services in the area.